Current Issue Articles
Learning How to Create Aviation Maintenance Excellence
128th Aviation Brigade / By SGM James Etheridge: There I was, 22 years in the Army, a CSM in Honduras conducting joint multinational missions; I had 16 years in the 160th with three years as the S-3 SGM, Joint assignments in OEF/OIF, by all measures I guess I could be called, “high seed, low drag,” at least that is what I told myself, and then it hit me… I was being assigned to the 128th Aviation Brigade? YOUR CAPTION HERE As the Brigade S-3 Sergeant Major? Say what? So I asked myself, “Self, where and what is the 128th Aviation...
Learn MoreUnder the Radar…
Reserve Components Aviation / By COL J. Ray Davis: Greetings again from the Army National Guard (ARNG). Here’s an update on what Your Guard Aviation teammates have been doing. New York Army National Guard deploys its UH-72 Lakotas to the Texas/Mexico border. / NEW YORK NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY SFC STEVEN PETIBONE First, a quick review of history regarding this operation. The Army National Guard established Operation Phalanx in July 2010, based on an Executive Order from President Obama along the 1,933-mile southwest border in support of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency. Operation Phalanx is the successor operation...
Learn MoreBringing Commercial-off-the-Shelf Avionics to Military Cockpits
Industry Support / By Mr. Carl Wolf: For decades commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) avionics have remained attractive as a conceivable solution for military cockpits around the world, primarily due to their relatively low cost and considerably shorter lead-times. The drawback that has persisted has largely been the perception that COTS avionics equipment are not capable of supporting the missions frequently flown by military aircraft or withstanding the harsh environments in which military aircraft typically operate. A leading supplier of avionics systems and integrated flight decks, Garmin Aviation continues to push the envelope, developing products, largely at their own expense, designed around advanced...
Learn MoreRDECOM: Providing Soldiers with More than Just the Basics
CSM Guest Editorial / By CSM James P. Snyder: The Army relies on its aviation fleet to provide situational awareness and tactical flexibility for ground commanders. Experimental test pilots from the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center Aviation Development Directorate (AMRDEC ADD) conduct flight control, cueing and sensor testing in brownout conditions during testing at Yuma Proving Grounds in September 2016. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO Army aviators rely on world-class equipment to fly into combat, which increasingly means not only the aircraft itself, but systems such as radar, communications, sensors, munitions and even cyber defense. The Army team...
Learn MoreFinding Balance
Chief Warrant Officer of the Branch / By CW5 Joseph B. Roland: Don’t worry – I haven’t gone soft. We will talk under-accessions, revised programs of instruction, high attrition rates, defragging, emerging tactics, techniques, and procedures and doctrine in future articles. I want to take some time to address the subject of finding balance as we approach the holiday season. Children play with SGT Rocky, the 3rd Infantry Division mascot, during the Marne Week Ultimate Frisbee tournament November 16, 2016 at Fort Stewart, GA. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY 3RD CAB PAO For over thirty years I’ve been in search...
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